Well-drilling rig



'April' 2, .1929. 1 R. H. RAMSEY 1 1,707,568

' HELL DRILLING RIG o l Filed Sept. 8, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 .10 6 1aas 5 4 27 a:

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' 7 1 I gnwutoz' n Mk Efiamwy A ril 2, 1929 R. H. RAMSEY WELL DRILLINGRI G 7 Original Filed Sept. 8, 192

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April 2, 1929. RAMSEY 170?,568 WELL DRILLING RIG 0rigifia1 Filed Sept.8. 1920 3 Sheets-Shteet 'lllllllllllllflwlllll l Patented A r. 2, 1929.

RALPH HAMILTON pussy, on ARDMOBE, OKLAHOMA.

WELL-DRILLING me. 7

Original application filed September 8,1920, semi- No. 498,961. Dividedand. this application am October -10, 1923. Serial No. 667,746.

This invention relates to the. art of drilling wells, and particularlyto the drilling of oil wells, and is a division of my application filedSeptember 8, I920, Ser. No. 408,-

It is an object of the invention to enable wells to be drilled andcased, simultaneously,

by the use of one size of drilling tool and one size of easing pipe. f

Other objects are to facilitate the ham" dling of the well casing duringthe drilling and easing operations; to improve the organization andarrangement of parts that constitute' a well rig;'-and to improvevarious details of well drilling apparatus, as will more particularlyappear in the ensuing description and claims.

Two methods of drilling wells are at the present time in general use.The first of these methods is commonly known. as the standard method,wherein a drill bit suspended by a cable is repeatedly lifted andallowed to fall to the bottom of the well hole gradually increasing thedepth of the hole by its percussion or impact, the

comminuted earth cut by the .drill' being removed by bailing. The secondmethod,

commonly 'known as the rotary employs an earth auger secured-to the endof a string,

or series of sections of pipe, which are rotated while being fedlongitudinally into the hole, the comminuted earth being Washed out bywater forced into the well hole.

By the standard method of drilling the hole is started with a mammothsized bit, said hole ,being usually approximately twenty inches indiameter. The twenty inch hole is drilled to say fifty or one hundredfeet and is then cased by an equal length of large and heavy wellcasing. The drilling tool, stem and shank and also the bailers used forcleaning out this large hole, are of great size and weight and requirearduous labor to get them in place and great power to operate them.After the wellhole has been drilled with-the mammoth sized drill andcased with the large casing, the string of mammoth tools have to beremoved and which isused to drill an openingof similar size, to adepth-of, say, three hundred feet more or less, below the surface. Afterthe twelve and one half inch hole has been drilled to the depthintended, heavy casing cased, and in the same manner another depth ofsay sixteen hundred feet of a diameter of depth of'twelve hundred feetis drilled and six and five eigth inches is drilled and cased;

and then a further depth is drilled by a smaller bit, and a smallercasing inserted, until the necessary depth of hole to reach the oil sandhas been drilled and cased, generally from two thousand to four thousandfeet. The lowest portion of the hole is of the smallest diameter, andthe casing of the smallest diameter reaches from the bottom of the wellto the top of the ground within the several large casings. After thewell has been completely cased it is then necessary to withdraw thestrings of easing, of larger section, leaving only the string of easingof smallest section in the hole. It

will thus be seen that a great deal of labor and expense is required'inthe usual practice of the standard method of drilling by reason of theheavy tools and extensive equipment required, the labor of changingtools, setting different sizes of easing pipe, I

the labor of removing casing that is not used after the well is drilled,and the expenditure of time.

The rotary method is generally employed where the earth is free fromrock. i If rock ismet with, the drilling tool, which is on the end of along string of pipe whichis built up by sections as the depth of thehole increases, has to be removed from the hole and sharpened and a newtool affixed, the

drill pipe sections being unscrewed as the drill is drawn upward.Furthermore, this method is hazardous because the rotary tool may borecompletely through a producing oil sand without the knowledge of thedriller and the well be thereby ruined.

It is proposed in the practice of my in- Vent-ion, to drill the Wellhole b eating cable sustained toolsoperatlng on the impact principle,and tofollow these tools as they sink into the earth with a singlereciprodesirable in order that the casing may sink without difficultyinto the well hole that a drilling tool of a size adapted to work freelyup and down within the casing be first used,

and that said tool be then withdrawn and another tool, which is" readyattached to an independent cable and controlled by maindependent bullwheel, be lowered through the casing and used to undercut the hole belowthe lower end, or shoe, of the casing 'so that the casing may. followdown through the earth after the undercutting tool without meeting anyobstruction. The undercutting tool may then be drawn up by its ownparticular cable and bull wheel and the drilling tool lowered throughthe casing by means of the cable to which it is suspended, controlled bythe bull wheel to which said cable is connected.

The invention more particularly consists in the construction set forthin the follow ing description, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand defined in the appended claims. 4

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a rig designed to carry out my inventionwith, however, the rotary draw works removed for purposes of clearness;

Figure 2 is a section through the lower part of the derrick showingthree independent power units assembled in position to operate thevarious tools and instrumentalities needful in the drilling operation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the draw works and rotary, andthe lower portion of the derrick as viewed from the left of Figure 1,but with the bull wheel and power unit therefor removed;

Figure 4 is a detail plan view of a portion of the hoisting mechanismoperated by the draw works for handling the casing; Figure 5 is a crosssection on the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail showing a .yieldable counter-pressure device forsteadying the aperation of the walking beam Figure 7 is an elevation ofthe top of the lerrick showing two sheaves or pulley wheels over whichpass, respectively, the cables of the drilling tool and the underreamer; and a third sheave or pulley wheel for sustaining the cable ofthe sand bailer;

Figures 8 and 8 taken together are a cross section of a well hole,showing the casing, an undercutting tool working in the well hole belowthe casing, a rotary for assisting in setting the casing, and a meansfor forcing out of the well hole the earth, sand, mud and slush formedby the drilling tools;

Figure 9 is a cross section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a cross section on the line 10-1'0 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a vertical section of the lower portion of a well hole andeasing illustrating a plug being driven through the casing to clear itof mud and sand;

Figure 12 is a plan view of a wooden plug designed to be forced througha casing.

In the accompanying drawings, numeral 1 indicates four upright columnspreferably arranged at the corners of a rectangle on any suitablefoundation and extending upward to a horizontal framing and platform 2.Tapering upward from the upper ends of the columns 1 and from platform2, is the framing of the derrick 3,. which, from the platform upward,may beconstructed like the usual oil well derrick. At the top of thisderrick there is mounted a transverse shaft 4 carrying two groovedsheaves or crown pulleys 5 and 6. Just below the top of the derrick onthe right hand side as shown in Figure 1. is a third sheave or sandpulley 7. The pulleys 5 and 6 support the cables to the ends of whichthe drilling and undercutting tools, respectively, are attached, and thepulley 7 supports the cable to the end of which a bailer'is attached, aswill be more fully set forth hereinafter. Fulcrumed at 10 on a suitablesupport or Samson post 11 rising from the platform 2 is the walking beam12, toone end of which is attached the temper screw 13 and cable clamp13 and to the other end of which is attached a long pitman 14 by meansof which said walking beam is vibrated.

On the foundation at one side of the foot of the derrick and journaledin bearings 15 is an axle 16 to which is secured a band wheel 17.The'said axle 16 is provided with a crank 18, to which the lower end ofsaid pitnian 14 is connected. Said band wheel 17 is rotated by means ofa belt 18 driven by an engine 19 in a manner that is usual.

The sand reel 1S indicated at 20 and has afriction pulley 20, connectedso as to rotate A with it, which is so mounted that it may be moved intocontact with the perimeter of the band wheel 17 whereby to operatesaidsand reel from said wheel 17. The

position of thesand reel may be controlled of the lever 21,'reach orlink 22 and sand reel lever 23, the arrangement of said parts being suchthat the driller may turn the lever 21 down upon theplatform and placehis foot upon it to hold it so as to maintain the, friction pulley incontact with band wheel 17 in order to keep said sand reel rotating. Asand line 24 is wound upon the sand reel and extends upward over thesheave 7 and then down "toward the platform 2 and carries on its end abailer 25 which normally rests upon the platform ready to the hand ofthe driller when de-.'

' l journaledfon said countelf' g' shaft43 adjacent The throttle of theengine 19 maybe con-- sired.

trolled by the driller ,from the platform 2 byjmeans of the endless band26 passing around a valve operating wheel 26 atthe engine, and a sheaveor idle wheel 27 mounted above the platform 2. The link mechanism of theengine 19, by which its speed may be varied or by which it may bereversed, is controlled by apush rod 28 reaching up to a point above theplatform 2, convenient to the reach of the driller.

In operating the walking beam a considerable weight is lifted as thatendv of the beam towhich. the cable is attached rises; but on thereverse motion the weight of the drilling tools tends to pull that endof the beam downward and the result is that a jerky motion is likely tobe imparted to the band wheel and crank. assist in equalizing theresistance to be overcome by the band wheel I prefer to place anadjustable spring beneath that arm of the walking beam 12 which is onthe drillsustaining side of the fulcrum; As the weighted end of thewalking beam falls its fall is resisted by the tension of thecompression spring 60 in which energy is thereby stored to be utilizedin aiding'to lift the tool as the pitman 14 nulls'down the oppo site endof the said beam. may be fitted to asocket 61, shown as formed in thewalking beam in the. embodiment illustrated, and the other end may befitted in a socket 62 in the end of a nut 63, which is adjustable on athreaded standard 64 rising from the platform 2.

The engine 19, band wheel and sand reel are mounted upon a rectangularframe 30, which is shown as resting on the foundation and bolted firmlyto columns 1 by means of uprights 31 and bolts 32. The frame 30, engine,band wheel and sand reel mounted thereon constitute one power unit usedfor operating the drilling, undercutting tools and bailer; and thispower unit maybe detached and removed as a unit or brought up separatelyand-assembled with other units appertaining to the rig.

At the side .of the derrick opposite the frame and the power unit thatcontrols In Order to The spring 60 the drilling tools and bailer isafsecond power unit mounted on a frame 40, which. rests on suitablesills or other foundation (not illustrated) and is bolted to the otherpair of standards orcolumns-1 in the same manner as has been describedwith reference to the frame 30. Upon the frame 40 is an engine 41,- the.crank-shaftof which is banded, preferabl by a sprocket chain 42, to acountershaft upright members 44 carried on the frame 40 and bolted tothe columns. At each end of said counter shaft '43ji 'splined a clutch45 and 46 'respectively' Loosely to a sprocket wheel mounted on the bullwheel 50, on which the cable 150 that sustains the under reamer-150is'wound, and the sprocket wheel 48 is connected likewise by a sprocketchain with a sprocket wheel mounted on the bull wheel 51, on whichcable' 151 that sustains the drill bit 151 is Wound. -These bull wheelsare independently rotatable and either one of them may be rotated atwill by means of the mechanism described. Each bull wheel is providedwith.

aseparate hand brake 52 and 52, respectively, said brake'beingcontrolled by rods or'cables 53 and 53 extending therefrom up to leverssuch as 54 on the drillers platform 2. The clutches 45 and-46 are alsosusceptible of being operated from the drillers platform 2 by means oflevers, such as 54 pivoted thereon and jointed to clutch shiftinglevers, such as 55, pivoted on the upright 44.

. The throttle of the engine 41 is control-- lable from the platform 2by means of the band 56 passing around the wheel 57 on the stem of thethrottle valve and around .a sheave 58 mounted above the drillersplatforn'i, and the link mechanism of said engine 41 may be operated bythe push rod 59 which. extends to within reach of the driller on theplatform 2, all in a manner similar to that which has. been describedwith respect to the power unit which operates the drilling tools andbailer.

By the mechanism thus far described.

comprising the two power units mounted on the bases 30 and 40, and thecontrolling mechanism therefor accessible from the drillers platform 2,the driller may control all parts of the rig essential for drillingandbailing out the well hole.

43 journaled on the different speeds as desired, in a known. man

' In order to handle the casing pipe, I have provided a rotary and thirdpower unit including a draw works. The third power unit is mounted on arectangular frame 70, which has a cross bar 71 adapted to reach betweentwo of the columns 1 supporting the derrick and to be bolted thereto, asindicated in Figures 2 and 3. Upon the said frame 70 is mounted anehgine 7 2 which may be controlled by a throttle valve and link motion,as in the case of the engines 19 and ell forming parts of the other twopower units described. The crank shaft 78 of said engine 72 is belted toa counter shaft 74: placed above a preferably two speed drum T5 andconnected to said drum by change speed gearing and suitable clutchmechanism 76 whereby said' drum may be rotated at ner. Suitable brakes77 and 78 are provided for controlling said drum when the same isdisconnected from the driving mechanism of the draw works.

Instead of having the cable for sustaining and lowering the casingrunning over a sheave or pulley at the top of the derrick, as iscustomary, 1 have provided a new and improved means of handling thecasing. Rising from the frame 70 are standards 80. Timbers or beams 81spaced apart to form a trackway rest on top of sills 82 supported on thestandards 80. At the outer end of the trackway formed by these beams 81there is secured a fixed block 83 preferably having rick.

four sheaves 8 1. A movable block 85 likewise provided with four sheaves86 is arranged to move along the track formed by the beams 81, saidblock 85 having rollers 87 extending laterally which travel on the uppersurfaces of said beams, or on a track thereon. A hoisting cable is rovethrough said block and wound upon the drum 75. To a strap 88 on themovable block are attached the ends of two steel cables 89 and 90, saidcables passing over guide sheaves 91 mounted on the end ofthe tracks 81opposite the fixed block 82 and adjacent the der-' The opposite end ofeach cable is spliced or otherwise secured to the eye 92 of an eye'bolt93 each of which is adjustably mounted in a suitable cross beam securedto the derrick columns 1 By means of a nut 94 thrusting against abeveled washer each. of said eyeibolts 93'1nay be independently moved soas to adjust the tension of v the cable 89 or 90, as may be necessary.The bights of the cables 89 and 90 sustain the casing.

In inserting easing into a well hole, the upper endof a section ofeasing pipe being inserted has a pipe coupling. screwed thereto, asindicated at 101. Loosely surrounding the casing 100 is a two; partsustaining member 102, each part having a lat-- erally projecting ear103 carrying a grooved roller or sheave 104. i The cables 89 and 90.

may be passed under the said sheaveslOa and sustain the weight of thewell cas1ng; and by manipulating the brakes WlllCll control the drum 75the said casinganay be lowered, if desired, or by clutching sa1d drum tothe counter shaft the casing may be lifted.

. By the construction described the upper works of the derrick arerelieved of the weight of the heavy block and tackle and lengths ofcable usual in mechanism for thls purpose and the length of cablenecessary to be used is shortened.

At a rotary table is shown supported by a bearing base 111 throughinterposed rollor bearings 112. The under side of sald rotary 110 isprovided with a gear 113 wh ch meshes with a pinion 114 on shaft 115which is connected by a sprocket chain 116 with the counter shaft 74of'the draw works. Suitable reversing clutch mechanism 117 interposedbetween the. chain 116 and the pinion 114i enables the rotary table tobe con- 1 trolled by an operator stationed near said table. In thecenter of the rotary table 110 there is a generally cruciform opening118 through which a'clamp 119 of corresponding shape, secured to asection of well casing 100, is adapted to pass. The clamp 119 1s made oftwo parts having flanges 120 through which bolts 121 are adapted to bepassed in order to secure the two parts togetherland cause them to seizea section of well casing; With a section of well casing inserted in thewell hole-and sustained by the cables 89 and 90, the clamp 119 being.clamped upon said casing and engaged in the opening 118 of the rotarytable 110, the casing may be rotated by the table and may work its wayinto the well hole as the cables 89 and 90 are slackened. Thus, bykeeping the casing constantly rotating and controlling its descent, thelikelihood of the casing freezing or sticking in the well hole iseliminated should soft earth crowd against it.

The base 111 on which the table 110 rotates is preferably mountedon'beams 123 which cross "a pit 124 sunk in the earth. This pit is ofsufficient depth to admit a man to enter it in order to remove or loosenthe bolts 121 of the clamp 119 and push the lat,- ter upward to berebolted higher up on the section of easing so that the casing may besunk a further distance into the well hole. It will be observed frominspection of Figure 8 that the upper bolts may be released from abovethe table, in the position shown, and that a man in the pit 124 mayloosen the remaining bolts and push the clamp 119 upward, when the twoupper sets of bolts the casing 100 may be easily set.

Although the removal of the sand, mud and the like from the well may beaccomplished by a bailer or sand pump such asqhas been heretoforereferred to, I contemp ate using steam or air pressure within the casingas it is being moved downward in the well hole and while the drillingoperation is proceeding whereby sand and slush may be kept I out of'thecasing and caused to flow up in the well hole around the exteriorthereof between the outer wall of the casing and the earthy walls of thewell hole.

In order to keep the was clear and to drive out sand and slush by hepressure of an aeriform fluid I provide a swivel device to be connectedto the top of the casing, said swivel device comprising a cup-like body140 having a hollow threaded lower end adapted to be screwed into anordinary pipe coupling 101 and having a swivel head 141 in the uppercup-like portion thereof. Said swivel head 141 is fitted fluid tight inthe body 140 and is held in place by, a ring 142 which may be secured.by set bolts 143. Tapped into an opening 144 in said swivel head 141 isa connection 145 to which a flexible pipe 146 is coupled, the saidflexible pipe being connected to a source of pressure such as steam orair, preferably steam. The said swivel head 41 is provided with acentral opening 147 through which passes a tubular body 148, the openingbeing. packed by a stufling box 149 on said swivel head 141. The saidtubular body 148 surrounds and is charged to a cable 150, which is acable suspending a string of undercutting tools as shown, or may be acable suspending a drill bit. As the cable 150 is raised and lowered, itraises and lowers with it the tublar body 148 which slides piston-tightthrough'the 'stufling box 149 and central orifice 147 in the swivel head141.-

. ible pipe 146 which permits steam or air to -B the basing 100 is freeto be rotated by the rotary 110 without twisting thedrilling cable whichpasses through the swivel head 141' for disturbing the position of theflexbe forced into the interior of the casing,

driving the slush,-mud, and the like, down the well.

this construction it will be seen that out completely by steam.or' airpressure, a

plug 152 may be inserted in the casing and driven downward through it byimpact of the drilling tool 151 as indicated diagrammaticall in Figure11. The plug 152,

which s ould be of wood or other suitable frangible material, may bepushed down through the casing and out below the shoe at the lower end.Said plug falling into the hole will be subsequently cut to pieces bythe operation of the drill, and its rem.- nants will flow with the otherdbris made by the operation of the drill up through the well hole or, beremoved b the bailer, according to the method used or cleaning out Inoperation one driller will occupy the platform 2 and two or more menwill remain upon the. ground or foundation beneath the platform 2. Thedriller, frdm his elevated position, will control all the drill ing andbailing operations.

There being two bull wheels and two strings of tools ready attached tocables and always at hand, no time is lost in changing from a drillingtool to an under reamer.

These tools are very heavy and it is customary in practice to pull out adrill, uncouple it from the cable and couple on a reamer, or. thereverse. Coupling and uncoupling the heavy tools is a diflicultoperation and consumes a lot of time. In the ri (lcscribed two tools arealways at him either may be lowered into the well casing as desired, andwhen its work is finished may be removed and the other tool inserted.

By inserting the well casing whil the In the rig described, after awell. is'

drilled, the three power units forming part of my apparatus may beunbolted from the derrick and foundation and may be taken off as unitsand shipped or moved to another "well with speed and convenience.

The saving of pipe and the labor of handling it by my methodandapparatus is'a very important item in-the cost of material and cost oflabor.

In" the derrick shown", a' section of well casing may be hoisted andswung into an upright position by any hoisting mechanism suitable forthe purpose of hoisting the casing, there being construction andframingroom enough between the rotary and the platform 2 to'enable thisto be done. In

practice it is preferred to handle the casing pipe by the mechanism forthat purposehere inbeforedescribed. The advantage afforded ties orlattice work of the derrick, is 'apparent. The casin may be suspended inupright position an the rotary utilized for screwing a newsection intothe coupling at the'top oit'the upper section in the well hole inthe'way a rotary is commonly used in screwing or unscrewing sections ofrotary drilling pipe.

The upper structure of the derrick used with the rig oi thisinvention'may be made considerably lighter-than the usual derrick, sinceit does not sustain the heavy blocks and cable used for raising andlowering well casing and the heavy weight of the casing. lt will beunderstood that water usually allows into the well hole fromwater-bearing strata penetrated by the earth drilling or boring tools.The tools therefore reciprocate in mud and slush in the wellhole. Ifthis mud and slush extends to the top of the well it interferesmaterially with the operation of tools of the standard or impact type.By maintaining an aeriiform fluid under pressure in the casing, mud iskept from filling the casing and interfering with the eficient downwardimpact oi the tools, while, the pressure of said aeriferm fluidforcesmen-see the excess of mud and slush out of the"'well as describedand into the pit, from. which it can be pumped if necessary.

Having described my invention-in such manner as to enable those skilledin. the art to make and use the same, what I claimand desire to secureby Letters Patent, is;

ing the comminuted earth from the well hole, whichconsists in starting awell hole, inserting casing therein, lowering an earth 1. A method ofdrilling wells and removboring tool through the casing, operating thetool in the well hole in the presence of water while forcing aeriformfluid under pressure into said casing whereby to cause the mud and slushto flow upward between the casing and the wall of the wellhole.

2. A method of drilling wells and removing the comminuted earth from thewell hole, which consists in starting a well hole, inserting casingtherein, lowering an earth boring tool through the casing, operating thetool in the well hole in presence of water, while simultaneously forcingaeriform fluid under pressure into said casing and rotating the casingwhereby to cause mud and slush to flow upward between the casing and thewall of the well hole and prevent freezing of the casing.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

RALPH HAMILTQN RAMSEY.

